Andrea Chesman
Andrea Chesman is the author of dozens of cookbooks, including Recipes from the Root Cellar (Storey). Here’s www.AndreaChesman.com
Many of us try to fill at least half our plate with vegetables—and next week’s Thanksgiving meal is no exception. If you need another vegetable dish for the big feast or you just want to start using some of the most eye-catching vegetables of the season, turn to winter squash. A walk through the produce section of the grocery story or farmers’ markets proves the point. In lush green, orange, yellow and red, winter squash is evidence of the bounty of the harvest. While it’s true that the unwieldy shapes, unfamiliar textures and tough skins of many winter squash varieties may make you more inclined to decorate with them rather than cook them, winter squash is surprisingly versatile—and can easily be baked, roasted and even sautéed. To find how to select and prepare this nutritional powerhouse, we turned to Andrea Chesman, author of Recipes from the Root Cellar (Storey). Here’s what you need to know…
Winter squash offers many nutrients, including fiber, vitamins A, C, E and K, calcium, magnesium and iron. It comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, including…
Acorn
Color: Green, orange and white.
Known as: The most familiar and most versatile (can be cooked many ways).
On the table: The flesh is drier than others but good for stuffing and serving in roasted wedges.
Buttercup
Color: Dark green with a pale green cap.
Known as: A great choice for pies.
On the table: So sweet it never needs a sweet glaze. Can replace sweet potatoes in many recipes.
Butternut
Color: Beige.
Known as: The easiest to peel for use in recipes.
On the table: Moist, rich flesh that purées well. Nutty flavor. Very good all-purpose squash.
Delicata
Color: Cream, orange and green stripes.
Known as: The easiest to slice and eat (you can eat the skin).
On the table: The skin is thin. The flesh is moist and sweet.
Spaghetti
Color: Yellow.
Known as: A low-calorie pasta substitute. Serve with olive oil and garlic.
On the table: When cooked, the flesh can be separated to look like spaghetti and has a mild, sweet flavor.
Sweet Dumpling
Color: Cream-colored with green stripes.
Known as: The best shape for baked individual servings (and you can eat the skin).
On the table: The skin is thin. Smooth, sweet and moist flesh.
Turban
Color: Brilliant orange or red.
Known as: The most colorful. Can also be used as a harvest centerpiece or soup tureen.
On the table: Golden-yellow flesh. Mild, sweet, nutty flavor.
Baked Winter Squash
To bake any type of winter squash, preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the squash in half if small or quarters if large. Remove and discard the seeds. Place skin-side up in a baking dish, and add about one inch of water to the dish. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain the water. Option: After cooking skin-side up, turn the pieces flesh-side up and brush the flesh with butter, sprinkle on brown sugar, or drizzle with honey or maple syrup. Bake for 10 minutes longer.
Apple-Braised Delicata Squash*
2 Tablespoons butter
2 large delicata squashes, seeded and sliced into ½-inch rounds
1 shallot, diced
2 cups apple cider or apple juice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried rosemary
Salt and pepper
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the squash and shallot, and sauté, coating in the butter, for about one minute. Add the cider and rosemary. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the cover, increase the heat to high and cook until the liquid is reduced to a syrupy glaze, two to three minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
* Or any winter squash, peeled.
To roast any type of winter squash, preheat the oven to 425°F. Peel and cut into small cubes. Brush with a small amount of olive oil. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. Season with salt and pepper.
